Carrington's Anderson wins Round 2 title at NFR

(Editor's Note: This is a compilation of two press releases from the 2020 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., written by Ted Harbin of TwisTed Rodeo. The event was held December 3-12.)

Bridger Anderson splits Round 2 title (December 4)

ARLINGTON, Texas – Ever since he was a youngster, Bridger Anderson has dreamed of competing on ProRodeo's biggest stage.

Once at the National Finals Rodeo, he wanted to prove just why he deserved to be here. After having a bit of a struggle on opening night, Anderson decided it was time to make something happen. His 3.8-second run on Friday night [December 4] did just that. He shared the go-round victory with two-time world champion Tyler Waguespack and pocketed $23,481 in the process.

"Last night we didn't have as much luck as we wanted," said Anderson, 22, of Carrington, N.D., now a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. "We came in tonight, and I wanted to be a little more focused and a little more confident in myself. It paid off. We had a good steer, we made a good start, and that was a lot of fun."

Anderson entered the NFR 10th in the steer wrestling world standings. He knocked his first steer down in 5.7 seconds, which was the 11th-best run of the night. The refocusing made a lot of difference.

He pushed his season earnings to $77,357 and moved up to fourth on the money list. Waguespack is just one spot ahead in the standings, so both men capitalized on a good situation.

"I've looked up to Tyler for a long time," Anderson said. "Watching him at the NFRs and getting to compete against him, in a way, is a dream come true. I've studied his bulldogging a lot and taken things he's done and applied that to my own. It's great that I get to split a round with him. It's kind of surreal."

Even at a young age, Anderson is no stranger to winning. He's been a winner through various stages of his life. As a freshman in college, he won the inaugural Ote Berry's Junior Steer Wrestling world championship. He was 18 years old.

A year and a half later, he earned his biggest prize of his lifetime by winning the steer wrestling national championship at the 2019 College National Finals Rodeo. Since the college finale was canceled because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, he remains the reigning titlist.

He still utilizes the education he receives in Alva, Okla., by traveling the rodeo trail with his coach, Stockton Graves, who is also serving as Anderson's hazer helping keep the steers lined out for the most optimum runs possible.

"Before the run, he just said, 'You've got a good one, so get a good start,'" Anderson said of Graves. "'Be aggressive, and just go out and have some fun.'"

The fun continued, as the cowboy took his victory lap alongside Waguespack.

"That was pretty awesome," he said. "I was riding stirrups that are about half my length because they're set for bareback riders and queens. It's pretty cool to make that lap and hear everybody cheer."

In North Dakota, they're still cheering.

Anderson hitting his stride at NFR (December 5)

In just three nights of ProRodeo's championship event, Bridger Anderson has made a name for himself.

The steer wrestler from Carrington, N.D., has placed in just two rounds, but he's placed high. He won Friday's round, then he tied for second place in Saturday's third go-round with his fastest run of the week. He grappled his steer to the ground in 3.6 seconds to tie Louisianan Jacob Talley and earn $18,192.

In all, he's pocketed $51,673 at Globe Life Field in Arlington and has pushed his season earnings to $95,550. He has moved up nine places to second in the world standings.

"We knew we had a good one that ran a little bit," said Anderson, a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. "I took a fairly aggressive start, and I wasn't sure if I broke the barrier."

If he had, he would have suffered a 10-second penalty, but that didn't happen. He grabbed ahold of the animal's head, then stopped the clock in a hurry. Only Will Lummus of Mississippi was faster, but by just one-tenth of a second.

"That steer was good and felt awesome," Anderson said. "Looking up and seeing 3.6, I was excited. Stockton (Graves, his hazer) did a great job lining him out for me, and my horse allowed me to get my feet on the ground."

Steer wrestling is always a tight race, and this year is no different. Anderson trails the leader, Matt Reeves, by just $6,900 with seven nights in a row. Although he didn't earn a check in the opening round, he has performed well enough to sit fourth in the aggregate race with a cumulative time of 13.1 seconds on three runs.

"I'm feeling really comfortable," he said. "The first night, I missed the start and ran him a long way. We knew we had to clean that up. As long as I hit the start and keep making solid runs, I feel real confident about the next seven nights.

"I'm really comfortable with my hazer and my horse. Everything feels really confident right now."

Between performances, Anderson takes care of himself and spends time with family, something he doesn't get to do through the year while living 800 miles from home. Graves, who also serves as the rodeo coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State, handles the horses and makes sure everything's ready by the time the rounds begin at 7 p.m. each night.

"Stockton's in charge of the horses this week," Anderson said. "He's been to the NFR seven times as a bulldogger and several other times outside of when he's qualified. I'm entrusting him with the horses this week. I can trust him with about anything.

"We'll talk about the draw, but really we bulldog thousands of steers. Take what you've got drawn, and see what happens from there."

(Editor's Note: As of Wednesday, Bridger had competed in six rounds at the NFR, taking a fourth-place tie in the sixth round with Jace Melvin at 3.7 seconds.

In the aggregate standings after that round, Anderson was in third place at 27.2 seconds on six head. He currently sits at fifth place in the worldwide standings, with earnings of $104,434, $21,491 behind money leader Matt Reeves.)